StrataSys 3D Printing and Production Systems Case Studies

According to three owners of Stratasys Fortus machines, one-year profit gains ranged from $60,000 to $230,000 from just a few fixture-related applications.

There is an often-overlooked additive manufacturing (AM) application with potentially huge financial returns. Savings can be so large that they can justify the purchase of an AM (or 3D printing) system in far less time than the typical three- to fiveyear payback period the financial officer will demand. The application is jig and fixture making — which also includes gauges, organizational aids and other manufacturing devices. AM produces these tools by adding material in an automated, layer-by-layer process rather than removing material with a cutter or forming it in a mold.

CREST Engineering Program Emphasizes Precision Design Skills

The Dimension 3D Printer gives them a chance to touch and feel the designs they've
created. Not only do students possess a better understanding of the entire process,
but they also enjoy an immense sense of pride in their accomplishments.— Phil Howardell, Paradise Valley High School

Phil Howardell loves to watch his young engineers solve problems. As the lead instructor
in charge of Paradise Valley High School's Center for Research in Engineering, Science
and Technology (CREST), Howardell takes pride in giving kids a solid foundation
for careers in engineering. For many CREST students, Howardell's Introduction to
Engineering Design course is their first exposure to basic engineering principals and
practices. It's easy for him to visualize the wheels turning inside his students' heads…and
occasionally grinding to a halt.

FDM Dashboard Prototype Holds Tight Tolerances; Improves Design

Korean-based Hyundai Mobis makes original and aftermarket equipment for the
automotive industry, including Hyundai and Kia. In its drive to be best in class and
a global top 10 supplier, it depends on prototyping for design verification, airflow
evaluation, and functional testing. The company uses a Fortus FDM (fused deposition
modeling) system for components such as instrument panels, air ducts, gear-frame
bodies, front-end modules, and stabilizer-bar assemblies.

FDM Carbon Monoxide Filter Takes the Heat

We are now very comfortable producing
quality production parts using our Fortus system.— Brian Levy, design engineer, Joe Gibbs Racing

When it comes to safety, the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) design engineers don't leave
anything to chance. Thanks to a new SR-100 soluble support material used with
Fused Deposition Modeling® (FDM) from Stratasys, they can now create complex
carbon monoxide filter housings for their cars using polycarbonate (PC) material,
which has a higher temperature rating than the previous material used.

FDM Technology Helps Reduce Tooling Costs
By $60,000 Per Part

Polaris snowmobiles have achieved an unparalleled record of performance, winning
60% of the stock class titles during the 2008 World Snowmobile Championships. Polaris
has built this amazing record through painstaking attention to detail. The attitude of
company engineers is "Every part must be perfect."

Hybrid Rocket Engines Use Additive Manufacturing to
Combine the Advantages of Solid and Liquid Propellants

Additive manufacturing technology has been the key to producing fuel grains with
higher consistency at a lower cost and shorter leadtimes than was possible in the past.— Ron Jones, President and Chief Technology Officer, Rocket Crafters Inc.

Today, solid rockets dominate most military applications because they take up relatively
little space, can be launched on a moment's notice and offer a high thrust-to-weight
ratio. Meanwhile, liquid bipropellant rockets enjoy the lion's share of orbital launch
vehicle and spacecraft propulsion system use because they are more fuel efficient, offer
a higher specific impulse and can be throttled and restarted when needed.

FDM Helps UCF Win Best New Design

The frame had to be strong, yet it's so complex it
would have cost a fortune to machine. FDM gave us the
ability to economically rapid manufacture just one.- Christopher Sprague

Each year the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI)
challenges students to design and produce underwater vehicles that operate without
any human control. University of Central Florida (UCF) accepted the challenge and
entered the ninth annual Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Competition. Leveraging the
advantages of fused deposition modeling (FDM®), the university's robotics laboratory
manufactured "Scout" and walked away with the honor of best new design.

FDM Helps Get Cycling Computer to Market Faster
at a Lower Cost

FDM lets our creative side run wild by trying as many different ideas as we
want without worrying about the cost and time of making prototypes.— Matt Bauer, President, Pedal Brain

Pedal Brain produces an iPhone accessory that logs a wide range of data for
competitive cyclists and also uploads it onto the web where it can be viewed by
coaches and teammates. Pedal Brain goes far beyond simpler applications that rely only
on the phone's GPS for data by using the ANT+ technology to collect data on speed,
distance, heart rate, cadence and power from ultra-low power wireless sensors. The
Pedal Brain application runs on the iPod to show how the cyclist is performing in realtime
and the cyclist can log into the Pedal Brain site later to get more detailed analysis.
Pedal Brain offers an integrated platform for coaches who can track the cyclist's
progress and plan his or her workouts. Teammates and fans can view the position of
racers from a computer or iPhone.h

FDM Models Reduce Time to Market for New Spoonable Zero-Calorie Sweetener

FDM models play a critical role in our design process by allowing customers to evaluate
a 3-Dimensional model to take the guesswork out of the design process.— Stephen Kocis, Creative Design Services manager, Silgan Plastics

Silgan Plastics is a leader in the design and manufacture of plastic bottles, jars, tubes,
caps and fitments for the food, health care, personal care and household markets.
Silgan Plastics is an operating company of Silgan Holdings, a leading manufacturer of
consumer goods packaging products with annual net sales of $3.1 billion in 2010.

61-Year-Old Company Re-Invents Itself With FDM

We save in excess of $150,000 per year with FDM. I can't imagine not having this
technology in a manufacturing setting. It is as critical to our business as e-mail.— Matt Hlavin, President, Thogus Products

Established as Master Mold & Die in 1950 by Jack Thompson, Thogus Products (Thogus) is a
61-year-old manufacturing company foundationally rooted in injection molding. In 1997, 56% of
sales came from automotive clients. A decade later, feeling the pressure of a poor economy and
recognizing the threat of limited diversification, Thogus decided to search for new sources of
revenue.

Stratasys 3D Printers Build Urbee, First Prototype Car to Have Entire Body Created with an Additive Process

FDM technology made it easy and efficient to make design changes along the way.— Jim Kor, KOR EcoLogic

"We should want to own and drive a clean, energy-efficient car," said Jim Kor, president and
senior designer for the Winnipeg-based engineering group of KOR EcoLogic. His passion for
the environment led him to design the principles of sustainability into a new car code-named
Urbee and created with the 3D printing capabilities of Stratasys. The two-passenger Urbee,
which stands for Urban electric with ethanol as backup, was designed to use the least energy
possible. It is capable of reaching more than 200 mpg on the highway and 100 mpg in the
city. And now, it is the first prototype car ever to have its entire body printed with an additive
process.